Global engineering and professional services firm expands footprint with major lease at premium Irvine Company location.
WSP USA Inc, the North American subsidiary of WSP Global, an international engineering and professional services firm, has leased 24,400 square feet at Discovery Business Center in Irvine in Orange County, expanding the company’s capacity to serve West Coast clients across infrastructure, energy, and environmental engineering disciplines, according to an announcement from Irvine Company.
WSP USA, the successor to Parsons Brinckerhoff following its acquisition by WSP Global in 2014, operates as one of the largest professional services firms in the world. The company provides strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, energy, infrastructure, and community planning services across 31,500 employees in approximately 500 offices serving 39 countries.
Parsons Brinckerhoff, founded in 1885 by civil engineer William Barclay Parsons, established its legacy through landmark infrastructure projects including design of the original New York City Subway IRT line, which opened in 1904. The company’s evolution through more than a century of engineering history established its reputation for technical expertise across critical infrastructure, transportation, and urban development projects.
WSP USA’s Orange County expansion reflects the engineering and professional services sector’s sustained demand for premium office locations serving distributed client bases and project teams. Engineering firms increasingly require office facilities supporting collaborative design work, project management coordination, and client relationship management alongside specialized technical workspaces.
Irvine Company leased 8.7 million square feet across its six-market portfolio during 2025, achieving nearly 90 percent occupancy by year-end. This performance substantially exceeded the national office vacancy rate of 22.2 percent reported in JLL’s Q4 2025 U.S. Office Market Dynamics analysis, indicating particular strength in properties attracting professional services firms.
Professional services companies represented a significant share of 2025 commercial office leasing activity. Roger DeWames, President of Irvine Company Office Properties, emphasized that market demand concentrated on high-quality facilities supporting modern working practices.
“In 2025, the office market continued to see demand for amenity-rich, well-located workplaces that offer an elevated experience, bring teams together and drive growth and productivity,” DeWames said.
Engineering and consulting services experienced strong demand during 2025 as infrastructure investment, renewable energy development, and environmental sustainability initiatives continued driving project activity across North America. Federal infrastructure programs, state energy initiatives, and corporate sustainability commitments generated sustained demand for engineering advisory services in energy, transportation, water infrastructure, and environmental remediation.
WSP USA’s Orange County presence supports the company’s service delivery to California clients including transportation agencies, municipal governments, energy utilities, and large infrastructure project developers. The region’s established infrastructure needs, urban growth management, and environmental protection requirements create sustained demand for professional engineering and planning services.
Southern California’s geography, population growth, environmental regulations, and infrastructure aging create particular demand for infrastructure planning, transportation engineering, water resources management, and environmental services. WSP USA’s technical capabilities across these disciplines position the company to serve regional clients addressing critical infrastructure and environmental challenges.
Irvine Company’s Flex+ program, designed for companies requiring adaptable workspace configurations, leased nearly 2 million square feet during 2025 and expanded by more than 10 percent. This growth demonstrates demand for flexible office solutions that accommodate professional services firms’ needs for collaborative design spaces, project management infrastructure, and meeting facilities supporting distributed client engagement.
WSP USA’s lease accommodates the company’s expansion across multiple operational functions including engineering design and analysis, project management, client delivery coordination, and administrative operations. Professional services firms increasingly require workspace flexibility to accommodate project-based team composition changes and client collaboration needs.
Renewals represented more than 5 million square feet of Irvine Company’s 2025 leasing activity, demonstrating high tenant retention among existing office users. Professional services firms showed particular satisfaction with Irvine Company properties supporting collaborative workplace models and modern amenities.
The lease positions WSP USA to expand its California operations and enhance service delivery to West Coast clients. The company’s global scale, technical capabilities, and project delivery experience enable service excellence for complex infrastructure and professional services assignments across California and the Pacific Southwest.
Engineering and professional services leasing activity continues as major drivers of premium office demand. WSP USA’s expansion reflects confidence in sustained demand for infrastructure planning and engineering services across California. The lease demonstrates the continuing importance of premium office locations supporting professional services delivery in competitive regional markets.
